Unitec student film for Cannes

A student made short film using only silhouettes with a minimalist mise-en-scène has made its way to the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in France. Chiaroscuro, a circular story of a man who cheats on his wife, was made in 2015 by Mexican filmmaker Gustavo Gamero Vega while an exchange student at Unitec’s Department of Performing and Screen Arts in Auckland. The seven minute Unitec produced film was selected for the Short Film Corner at this year’s Festival de Cannes on 11-22 May.

“I’m really happy my film got selected,” says Gustavo. It motivates me to keep doing what I love to do – making films. My experience at Unitec was amazing. I had the chance to learn from excellent tutors and to meet amazing people.”

According to Unitec Screen Arts lecturer, Donny Duncan, Gustavo made the film as part of an assignment for a Camera and Sound class. “He produced, directed and focus-pulled his own shoot – a somewhat unusual combination,” Duncan explains. “He showed great initiative and originality in shooting his film in an almost square format, and then dividing the frame into quadrants.”

Gustavo studied Communication and Digital Media at Monterrey Tech, Mexico. He lists Mexican directors; Cuarón, Iñárritu and Del Toro as his main influences. His first film, Turno 66 won Jury Mention at the Monterrey Film Festival in 2015. He is now in pre-production of his next short film.